Thirteen years on, the memories of AC Milan’s stunning Champions League final capitulation against Liverpool remain for Adriano Galliani, who will be cheering Roma on against them as a result.
In 2005, then Rossoneri vice-president watched his side take a 3-0 lead against the Reds in Istanbul, before becoming the first team ever in a final to throw away such a lead as they were beaten on penalties.
Roma pulled off a similarly stunning comeback in this year’s tournament to reach the final four, coming back from a 4-1 first leg deficit to eliminate Barcelona and set up a semi-final against Liverpool, which Galliani will be attending.
“I’ll be at the Stadio Olimpico to take in Roma’s game against Liverpool, I discussed it this week actually when I had dinner with Gandini,” he said. “I was at Milan for 31-and-a-half years and I’ll always be a Rossonero.
“When it comes to the league, we [Milan and Roma] are rivals but on the international stage, we are allies and I’ll cheer for them because they are representing and bringing co-efficient points, which is why we will have four Champions League teams going forward.
“With Liverpool too, you can also imagine my feelings after that game. I didn’t sleep for three months after it. It had never happened before in the history of the competition, losing a final from being 3-0 up. So Forza Roma!”
Roma face Liverpool at Anfield in the first leg on April 24, before the return game in the Eternal City a week later.
